Srinagar-Jammu highway closed for traffic

Jammu: Traffic on the 300-km Jammu-Srinagar highway remained suspended for the second consecutive day today due to landslides, with officials giving no clear indication as to when the vital road will be reopened.
Efforts are on to clear debris off the arterial road and restore the damaged bridge near Udhampur, a senior police officer said.
The highway, the lone all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country, was closed for vehicular traffic yesterday, after a massive landslide struck it at Morh Passi in Udhampur district, damaging a bridge and blocking the road.
The bridge had developed cracks under the impact of the landslide, Sanjay Bhagat, senior superintendent of police (national highway), told PTI.
Another landslip struck the highway in the Ramsu area of Ramban this morning and work is underway to clear debris, the SSP said.
On the damage to the bridge, he said it was being cleared to pave the way for experts to inspect the extent of the loss.
The majority of the stranded vehicles have returned and those waiting for the opening of the road have moved to safer places, added the SSP.
A traffic official said the officers have been directed to ensure that no vehicle is allowed on the highway, and those stranded are not parked in any landslide or vulnerable zones under any circumstances.
“The stretch between Jawahar Tunnel to Ramban is a slide-prone zone and therefore should be kept free from all sorts of traffic to avoid any untoward incident,” the official said.

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Launched in May 2012, Kashmir Reader is one of the leading English language newspapers of Jammu and Kashmir. It’s published daily from Srinagar by Helpline Group, which earned a name and fame in serious journalism